At first glance, it seems like a simple request.

A pedestrian crossing, near a school, used by children, parents, prams and residents from a nearby aged-care village.

But what should be a straightforward safety improvement at the corner of Belinda Street and Rowlins Road in Gerringong has become a lesson in government complexity, community frustration and bureaucratic gridlock.

Civil engineer Lewis Browne is one of several concerned residents who have joined Melanie Pearce, representing the Gerringong Public School P&C, in a long campaign to have the crossing upgraded.

Pearce first lodged a formal complaint with Kiama Council in December 2022 and has been advocating ever since.

She has coordinated with the school principal, gathered community feedback, launched a petition and supported Council’s interim solution of using parent volunteers to manage flags for a designated children’s crossing.

Ultimately, the goal is to see the site upgraded to a zebra crossing, which would then make it eligible for a Transport for NSW funded school crossing supervisor.

Since changes were made to the intersection in 2022, removing the previous median and installing kerbside blisters and coloured pavement, parents have felt the crossing is less safe.

The design leads to confusion for pedestrians and drivers.

“We’ve all been told the crossing is technically compliant, but compliance doesn’t mean safe,” said Lewis. “There’s confusion for kids, but also for the adults supervising them. Drivers don’t know whether to stop or not. It’s not clear.”

While Council insists the current arrangement is the best available option under existing standards and funding, Lewis sees the situation differently. Drawing on his engineering background, he says the improvements made so far have merit but fall short of what is needed.

“The blisters and fencing help. But if this were a workplace safety issue, there would be a formal review process, risk assessment and change. That has not happened here. Bureaucracy, lack of funding and even a staffing gap at Council are holding back safety improvements.”

One suggested alternative, a raised pedestrian crossing, was rejected by Kiama Council due to concerns about truck noise. Lewis acknowledged the road was a key heavy vehicle route used by fuel tankers and Cleary Brothers quarry trucks.

Council also declined a standard zebra crossing, citing the risk of driver complacency outside school hours. But Lewis is not convinced. Most importantly, they slow traffic down. That is what keeps everyone safe.

“When the school zone lights are flashing, drivers are already alerted. A zebra crossing would reinforce that message. The current set-up causes confusion for both pedestrians and drivers. The solution of adding children crossing flags at peak times would only increase the uncertainty.”

What is also at stake is equity. The crossing is used not only by school children but also by older residents from the adjacent aged-care village.

The current arrangement provides minimal understanding of the legal right of way, and no visual clarity. In a community where state and federal governments are encouraging older Australians to stay active and mobile, this kind of infrastructure sends the opposite message.

Pearce and Browne are not asking for miracles. They are asking for a clear commitment to review the current situation, reassess the risks and work towards an upgrade that reflects both the everyday use of the crossing and the future safety needs of the neighbourhood.

“If we want kids and older people walking more, we need to make it safe and simple to cross the road,” Pearce added. “It’s really not that much to ask.”

You can find the Belinda Street Pedestrian Crossing, Gerringong - Safety Concerns Petition here